HORIZONTAL SNARES AND DOMED ORBS. 171 



In this connection it should be remembered that there is a general resem- 

 blance in structure between the Orbweavers and Lineweavers ; and it may be 

 stated, moreover, that this resemblance is more marked in the case of the 

 genus to which Basilica is closely related, Meta ; and also in some of those 

 species which have the habit of making a composite snare. This is so strik- 

 ing in Koch's genera Meta and Zilla that they have been classed with both 

 sections. On this point Dr. T. Thorell has remarked, "As Zilla shows an 

 analogy with Steatoda of the Lineweavers, so does Meta form a transition 

 to Linyphia of the same tribe." ^ These relations may be more fully con- 

 sidered in the systematic part of this M'ork, but in the meantime we are 

 justified in saying that in the case of the above named species, we find the 

 tribes of Orbitelarise and Retitelariae approaching each other in structure 

 as well as in the interblending of their spinning habit. 



' "On European Spiders," page 61. 



